St. Croan’s 12-point win over Ballyhaunis three years ago stands in the record books as the only game that a Mayo club has lost in the Connacht Intermediate Club Football Championship since 2010, while four of the five championship winners from the county in that time went on to contest an All-Ireland final at Croke Park.
Breaking that run is the challenge facing Michael Glavey’s this Sunday afternoon when they travel to MacHale Park (throw-in is at 2.30 p.m.) to take on Bohola Moy Davitts, a side that will carry plenty of momentum but also potentially a touch of fatigue into Castlebar, after their dramatic and thrilling one-point win over Kiltimagh in their replayed county final at the weekend. T
Seán Mulderrig’s stunning 25-metre thunderbolt to score equalising goal in injury time on Saturday night has done the rounds on social media, but a quick look at the composition of the Davitts team makes it immediately clear that for Michael Glavey’s, it won’t be possible to match what St. Croan’s achieved when they held their opponents to just five points in the Hyde three years ago.
Brian Reape, Séan Kelly, Anthony Jordan and Brian Heneghan lead a stellar attack which has scored at least 16 points in each of their seven championship games this year. However, the concession of 2-9, 2-11, 0-13 and 1-15 in their last four games would suggest that the Michael Glavey’s attack can also expect to find a little bit of leeway, particularly given the possibility of tiredness in a team that will be playing for the sixth weekend in succession, never mind the understandable euphoria after winning their first title in 21 years.
Kilglass Gaels’ assault on their provincial campaign also begins this Sunday with a game in Dr. Hyde Park against Sligo Junior champions, Ballymote Round Towers, at 2 p.m.. After a disappointing performance against St. Brigid’s second team in the county final, Kilglass will be hoping for better fortune this time around. How much fight they have for the battle, given the manner of the defeat they suffered against Brigid’s, remains to be seen.
The South Sligo side beat Tourlestrane’s second team by seven points in the Sligo Junior final on Sunday October 21st, and will be hoping to become the first team from the Yeats County to reach a Connacht junior final since St. John’s, all the way back in 1999.
